Top 10 productivity tips for iOS 7

Here are 10 great ways to get more out of iOS 7 right away.

ITworld|October 2, 2013

Want to get more out of iOS 7? I've got ten tips to make you more productive on it immediately.

Quit multiple apps in one fell swoop

It's simple to shut down a single running app -- just double-tap the home button and flick the app you want up. But how about shutting down two at a time? How about three? It's just as easy. Double-tap the home button, and then with multiple fingers flip up the apps you want to kill. That's all it takes.

Ban data-hogging apps from using your cell data

Go over your the limit of your data plan, and you'll end up spending big bucks. One way to make sure that doesn't happen is to ban data hogs that don't deliver much value from using data on your plan. To do it, head to Settings-->Cellular, then scroll down. From here, you can toggle off any apps you don't want to use data.

Make audio-only calls in FaceTime to save on data

Here's another tip for helping make sure you don't go over your data plan: Make audio-only FaceTime calls. How often do you really need to see the person you're talking to after all? Video chews up plenty of data, so this tip can save you plenty. To make an audio-only call, tap the new phone icon. It lets you make a FaceTime audio call.

Navigate and close tabs in Safari using gestures

In Safari's new look, windows get stacked vertically rather than horizontally. To close any, of course, you can always just tap the x in the window's upper-left corner. Here's a better way: Just swipe any to the left and it vanishes. Not that you will need to close them that often, because you can now have up to 24 open at once. Previously you only had eight.

You can also now use gestures to navigate in Safari. Just swipe to the right to go back, and swipe to the left to move forward.

Block nuisance calls and texts

If you've got a telemarketer who constantly reaches out to you via phone or text, or if there's someone who you simply don't want to hear from, you can easily block them. To block texts, head to Messages. Then select the message whose sender you want to block and tap the small i symbol on the top of the screen. Then scroll to the bottom of what appears and select Block.

To block phone calls, head to Phone and look for the small i symbol to the right of the number. Tap it, then scroll to the bottom of what appears and select Block.

Make it easier to read on your iPhone

The default font and type size on your iPhone may not be to your liking -- it may make text too difficult to read. There's an easy way to make everything more readable. Head to Settings --> General --> Accessibility. You've now got more options for changing the way type appears. You can make text larger, make it bolder, and increase the contrast.

Save battery life by turning off background refresh

Apps that grab data or refresh their content in the background can suck up battery life. If you're running low on battery power, you can tell them to stop. To do it, go to Settings --> General --> Background App Refresh and make your change there.

Auto-populate Web forms...or not

Tired of re-typing in your name, contact information, passwords, and more on Web pages? Safari now has the option of doing that for you. Go to Settings --> Safari --> Passwords --> AutoFill and make your choices about what you want Safari to fill in for you, and what you don't.

Swipe your way to where you've been

There's now an easy way to go to the previous page when you're doing things such as reading an email, or you're a level or more down in the Settings screen. Just swipe backwards. That's all it takes. If you're at the top level of some task, such as at the main Settings screen, nothing will happen.

Hide notifications from prying eyes

Right from the lock screen, you now see notifications, such as your appointments and sections of your messages. That's great if you're alone. But if you're in public and are worried that someone might be able to see all that, you can turn the feature off. Go to Settings --> Notification Center and turn it on or off under the Access on Lock Screen setting.